The Milwaukee Bucks didn’t make the playoffs last season, but their offseason has already been a success. Sources confirmed a report on the basketball Web site HoopsHype Sunday afternoon that the club was close to a deal that would keep forward Ersan Ilyasova in Milwaukee on a five-year, $45 million deal.

Ilyasova was one of the top free agents on the market at power forward, a “stretch four” who finished tied for second in the league in three-point percentage last season (.455) with Warriors guard Stephen Curry. But he also averaged 8.8 rebounds to go with his 13 points per game, posting 20 double-doubles for the Bucks and finishing second to Orlando’s Ryan Anderson in voting for Most Improved Player.

The Nets had significant interest in signing Ilyasova, particularly if they were unable to make a trade for Magic center Dwight Howard. But one source said Sunday that Milwaukee had never been very concerned about Brooklyn, surmising that the Nets couldn’t create enough cap room to make an offer that Ilyasova would have to seriously consider. The Raptors also were reportedly interested, and Ilyasova had offers to play in Europe as well.

Milwaukee has already bolstered its frontcourt, acquiring shot-blocking center Samuel Dalembert from Houston in a trade just before the Draft that moved the Bucks back two spots in the first round. But the Bucks were still able to take a promising talent in North Carolina forward John Henson with the 14th pick and got sharpshooter Doron Lamb from Kentucky in the second round, making it unlikely they’ll retain Carlos Delfino.

I think we are about to witness a serious run for the east… look at the big picture…
Dalembert @ center
Ilyasova @ power forward
Henson @ small forward
Ellis @ shooting guard
Jennings @ point guard

they were just short of the playoffs last yr, and now the chemistry is there, I expect a break out yr, leading the league in steals, and blocks, so we strengthened our core and defense obviously= wins games…with 3 very good 3 point shooters in Jennings Ellis and Ersan, we will grasp leads and defensively dominate the boards, steals + blocks this resulting in top 5 in scoring in the NBA improving to a elite team in the east, with rose injured on the bulls, Hibbert leaving for Portland and the Pistons as old as they are, we should be a 5 seed in the 2013 playoffs…

He will be starting just like last year when Bogut went down it will be Gooden starting C and Ersan starting PF with Dalembert off the bench…..Hardly deep when you look at other teams like Denver who have 4 centers and 3 PF’s

Linsanity and Ersanity were both late season phenomena, though Ersan has always shown signs of breaking out. He’s an exceptionally bright and quick player, who somehow manages to make hard-nosed, in-your-face plays. I’m sure the Nets would love to have him, but now he can stay home with his family in Milwaukee. Like others, I realize that some other PF/C must go. Gooden? Sanders? Luc? Hard to tell. Gooden is a good backup center. Sanders is still developing (check him out in the summer league) and a big question mark. Luc plays great defense on multiple positions. Sanders stays if money is the motive, otherwise he’s gone..

If Ers can avg 15 & 8 over nxt 5yrs while shooting similar to what he did last yr then he will have earned his money. Hopefully this means Gooden isn’t coming back with Udoh & Henson as backup PFs & sanders at backup Center. Yes we have a lot of forwards on roster but all of them (except drew) are young athletic and relatively cheap. This also improves Luc Richards value cause now someone else can spread floor on Jennngs/Ellis drives & LRBM can just slash to hoop & D up. Ik a lot of bucks fans will bitch about $ Ers will get but in a weak eastern conference theres no real reason we can’t be top 6 team.. Young Gunz have to improve tho

Good to see Ersan come back, even if I think we overpaid for him a bit. Hopefully he can develop a more refined low post game to go alone with his perimeter skills and become more effective on the defensive side of the ball. I will try to delay judgement a while in order to see how much his game has grown over the summer. If he keeps getting better each year, this deal was worth it. If not, well, typical Milwaukee.